The New York Giants hired former Tennessee Titans’ defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson to lead their defense under head coach John Harbaugh. Wilson spent the 2023 season with the Baltimore Ravens as the defensive backs coach, working under Harbaugh and then-defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, who is now the Super Bowl-bound head coach of the Seattle Seahawks.
Wilson chose the Titans’ defensive coordinator position over the Giants early in 2024, a decision that led New York to hire Shane Bowen. Given Wilson’s background with the Ravens and Philadelphia Eagles, he was widely believed to be the Giants’ top option during that coaching cycle. Philadelphia ultimately passed on Wilson as well, opting for Sean Desai, which led Wilson to John Harbaugh.
Nevertheless, Wilson will now lead the Giants’ defense. Despite largely underwhelming defensive personnel—aside from star defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons—Wilson delivered an impressive first season in Tennessee. The Titans finished second in the NFL in both total defense and passing defense (by yardage). Their run defense ranked 15th, while the unit led the league in yards per play allowed and tied for fifth-fewest first downs surrendered.
However, the 2024 Titans were undermined by erratic quarterback play, and the defense proved vulnerable to explosive plays. Tennessee finished 6–11 and Wilson’s second year was less successful: the Titans ranked 21st in total defense, 20th against the pass, 23rd against the run, and 28th in points allowed.
The Titans struggled to generate takeaways in both seasons, and neither unit relied heavily on blitzing. Still, Wilson employed an aggressive, line-of-scrimmage–dictating approach, using twists, simulated pressures, selective creative blitzes, and well-disguised coverage rotations to disrupt offenses, even amid injuries and personnel limitations.
The 2025 Titans faced 224 third downs and ran man coverage on just 56 of them (25%). The team was not equipped to consistently run man coverage, but upgraded personnel at the position may lead to Wilson employing more press-man, which he has stated several times in interviews:
Wilson has a more aggressive mentality than Bowen — that is for certain. The video below dives into Wilson’s coverage usage and how he created pressure in a variety of ways for the Tennessee Titans.
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